Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

A mber sat on the sofa, long after Christopher was gone. She knew she shouldn’t keep him waiting but just couldn’t bring herself to move. Her heart pounded in her chest, stomach rolling. Her thoughts churned like the sea on a stormy night.

What could he possibly want?

Surely it couldn’t be anything good, could it?

Best case scenario he wanted to talk about the plan. That could be good if that was it. After all, they only had so much time, so sooner really was better.

But then again, it more than likely probably wasn’t anything nearly that simple.

She needed to think about the worst-case scenario and come up with an emergency plan.

Maybe he wanted to back out.

Amber let out a sigh at the thought. She couldn’t blame him if he did. She knew her plan was foolish at best and delusional at worst.

Still, she didn’t know if she could find an escape without him at this point.

But that didn’t matter. Her freedom wasn’t his responsibility.

She needed to figure out another plan. There had to be something else she could do.

Seconds ticked by, but Amber was still sitting there. She knew she needed to move. He wouldn’t wait forever, and if she wanted this to work, she needed his help.

So, taking a shaky breath, Amber forced herself to her feet and made her way to the study.

But before she could make it from the room, she came face to face with Mary. The woman had a strained smile on her face as she took a step closer.

“Amber, I was hoping you would have a moment to speak with me,” she said.

Amber hesitated. “Now isn’t really a good time.”

“Why? Do you have somewhere you need to be?”

“Well, I?—”

“Of course, you don’t. After all, the only people who have any business requesting your presence are still people you would prefer not to see if I understand correctly.”

Amber forced herself to nod. The statement was true enough, and she was rather keen to avoid her cousin and that man. Besides, if she didn’t look eager enough, Mary would get suspicious. She couldn’t risk Mary figuring out the plan.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“So what did you want to talk about?”

She hesitated. “It’s rather delicate.”

Amber frowned. “I see. Should we go somewhere more private?”

“I just wanted to start by asking how you were feeling?”

“I’m all right. Why do you ask?”

“That’s rather good to hear. It’s only… well, I heard from one of the maids that your lady’s maid requested to have your bedding changed. I wanted to see if you were feeling all right.”

Amber suppressed a groan. She should have known word of that would work its way back to the lady of the house. “I see. Well, you don’t need to worry. As I said, I am perfectly all right.”

“So you have said, and I am glad to hear that.”

Then there was a pause long enough to leave Amber wondering why they were still there.

Of course, Mary soon spoke again. “If this is about your future prospects?—”

“Please,” Amber cut her off, shaking her head.

“Amber, I know it’s hard, but you need to talk about this.”

“No, I don’t think I do.”

“Trust me, you do. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.”

“It might. After all, it hasn’t been announced yet,” Amber said before she could think better of it.

The second the words left her lips, she froze. Had she just given away the plan?

But then Mary sighed. “Oh, you poor girl. I know you are worried about what your future looks like, but denial won’t help. It will only make it that much harder when the time finally comes because it will.”

She shook her head. “You don’t know that.”

“But I do,” Mary insisted. “I just don’t want to see you make this any harder on yourself than it already is.”

Amber took a deep breath, meeting Mary’s eyes. “So what would you have me do?”

“As I said, accept it. Come to terms with it. Do what you can to get to know the man who, whether you like it or not, is going to be your husband.”

“You can’t expect that of me. You ask too much.”

“Yes, it is asking a lot. It is one of the hardest things you will ever have to do, but what you find on the other side can be beautiful.”

“But there’s no way to be sure it will be. He could be a horrible person, and if he is, then what?”

“You’re right, he could, but that could be true of whomever you marry.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s true, even if you hand pick the man yourself, there’s no way to know if someone will make a good husband until you’ve walked down the aisle. Courtships are short, and so are engagements, especially when you want to move out of your family home. This situation really isn’t any different.”

“You’re wrong. It isn’t the same at all.”

Mary sighed. “Just think about what I said, all right?”

“If I say yes, can I go now?”

“All right,” Mary finally relented, “but please come to me when you’re finally ready to talk.”

Amber nodded then fled.

She’d already taken far too long, and she couldn’t keep Christopher waiting. Still, with Mary’s words ringing in her ears, her body struggled to follow her commands. Mary talked as though everything was already completely settled.

As if her fate was inevitable and all she could do was lay down and let it happen.

It served as a stark reminder that her plan with Christopher was her only hope. If this failed or if he backed out, all was lost and who could say what would become of her.

And now, he was going to back out.

Each step felt a bit like she was walking to her execution. Amber could do nothing but watch her future go up in smoke before she could even try and grasp it. She did her best to start to plan what she was going to say when Christopher told her he couldn’t help her anymore.

She couldn’t make him feel bad about it. That wouldn’t be fair to him, but she couldn’t help but hope there was a chance she would be able to persuade him to change his mind or find a middle ground.

Entering the silent study, Amber took a deep breath. The place was too bright, too clean for a study. There was no musty smell of books, no thick curtains blocking out the light, but instead, it was spotlessly clean and almost entirely absent of seating. It seemed more like a room to show off than a room to use.

She wasn’t surprised to see Christopher was already standing there waiting for her. He was standing near one of the bookshelves, scanning over the titles.

“The man who put this library together is a fool,” he said. “So many of these books are made to look prestigious but are actually either rather common titles or pure pseudo-science.” He shook his head, turning to face her. “It’s a shame, isn’t it?”

“I suppose?”

She waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. After a few seconds, she knew she needed to say something.

Amber swallowed then forced herself to speak. “You said you wanted to talk?”

“I did.” He took a step towards her.

“I came.”

“I know. I’ve been waiting.”

“So?” Her heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to let him see her nerves. She wanted to cross her arms, to shift where she stood, but Amber forced herself to stay still. “What do you want?”

He studied her for a moment, pacing the perimeter of the room. He paused for a minute, pulling one of the books off the shelves, turning it over in his hands. “I thought you might want to discuss moving forward with your plan if you actually want this, that is.” He put it back on the shelf, a little harder than seemed strictly necessary.

Amber flinched at the sound, but she didn’t want him to see, so she forced herself to square her shoulders, looking him dead in the eye before she spoke. “Of course, it is.”

“Really? Are you sure? You have thought this through, haven’t you?”

“It is, and of course, I have.”

“This is going to do a lot of damage. Not just to you and not just to me. The shrapnel can hit anyone around us.”

“I know. I know how serious what I am asking is. I know how severe the consequences will be, but I don’t have any other option. Believe me, I wouldn’t have asked for your help if I wasn’t sure about this.”

He studied her for a moment then gave a sharp nod. “Well then, we should talk about the next step, shouldn’t we.”

“So you’re still going to help me?”

“Of course. Was there ever a question about that?”

Amber looked away. “I was expecting you to tell me you weren’t going to be able to help me. I thought that was why you called me here.”

“I thought about it.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “What you want to do is risky.”

She nodded.

“This could ruin my sister, you know.”

Amber looked up in shock. “I- I didn’t think about that.”

“I did.”

Amber took a deep breath. “Listen, it’s—I don’t want you to back out, but I don’t want to risk Felicity’s future. I would understand if you needed to.”

“You were already given my answer, so it would be best just to accept it and move on. Now, we should talk about our next step.”

For a moment, her words failed her. It didn’t make any sense. But finally, she found her tongue. “I- I guess we should, but why?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Because I have a feeling that you don’t want to risk waiting too long to go through with it.”

“What? Yes, but I meant why are you doing this? I don’t understand. What do you get out of helping me?”

“What does it matter? As long as you get what you want in the end, I don’t see what effect my motivation has on anything.”

“I suppose it doesn’t, but?—”

“Then I don’t see what there is to discuss.”

“Maybe, but I’m just trying to understand.”

“What’s there to understand?”

Amber hesitated, eyes darting around before she whispered, “You.”

If he heard her, he did a good job of pretending he hadn’t. “What do you think we should do next?”

“Right, the plan…” she trailed off.

For a few moments, silence reigned. Amber felt the ticking of the clock scraping against her skull. She knew she should say something, anything, but her mind drew a blank. Desperately she tried to force a thought together, but they kept slipping through her fingers.

“Well?” he prompted, moving to stand a few feet in front of her. “I thought you had a plan.”

“I do!”

“All right then, why don’t you tell me. I can hardly help you if you don’t.”

Amber chewed her lip, eyes on the ground.

“You told me last night you wanted to handle the planning. Why don’t you tell me what you’ve got.”

She chewed her lip. “Well, I- I mean, I’m still working on it. These things take time. You can’t just expect me to have it all figured out!”

“And how long will it take for you to figure it out?”

“I don’t know yet!”

She shrugged, looking away.

Christopher let out a long sigh. “And how long do we have to make this work?”

“I want this handled before we leave the party. We don’t typically run in the same circles, and who knows if we will ever see each other again.”

He chuckled. “Somehow I doubt Felicity is going to let you go so easily.”

Amber opened her mouth to protest, but Christopher cut her off.

“Still, I can understand why you wouldn’t want to risk that.” He nodded. “So, we have a clear deadline. That’s good.”

She hummed in agreement, still struggling to figure out the how.

“Then do you want my help figuring out what to do?”

“No! I am more than capable of taking care of it on my own!”

He snorted. “If that’s true, then why do you need me?”

She crossed her arms. “You know why.”

“Pretend I don’t. Spell it out for me.”

“I can come up with a plan. I just need time, but I can’t ruin myself alone. Someone has to go down with me.”

“Careful,” he smirked down at her. “When you say it like that, it sounds like you want it to hurt me too.”

Her eyes flashed. “Don’t be ridiculous. I already told you-—”

“That you would save me at the last minute. You don’t need to worry. I remember.”

“Then do you still not trust me to keep my word?”

“If I didn’t, do you think I would be here?”

“Then why did you say that?”

“Who can say?” he shrugged. “Perhaps I just like watching you squirm.”

She flushed, stuttering out a response. “That’s- you- you can’t just say things like that; we need to focus. We don’t have long to make this work.”

“Then maybe you should let me help.”

She sighed. “Fine, what would you suggest?”

“Glad to see you have finally seen reason.”

“Just tell me your suggestion before I change my mind.”

Christopher chuckled. “I think it is rather clear that you seem to be overthinking this and quite a bit at that. All we need to do is get caught alone. We just need to pick a place and pretend to be an illicit couple.”

“How!?”

“I think you know how. We just need to make sure they see us alone in close quarters. Let them think we’re whispering sweet nothings to each other or something like that. It may be hard for us to pretend, but it won’t be hard for them to believe.”

Amber’s face felt hot, and she looked away, clearing her throat. She wanted to step back, put more physical distance between them, but she couldn’t let him see her as weak or hesitant. “I don’t understand. You make it sound so easy.”

“That is because it is easy. We just need to do it.”

“Just do it, is that right?”

“It is. The longer you put it off, the harder you make it. The more you build it up in your head, the more impossible it feels. It’s like jumping into ice water. The best thing to do is just jump and get it over with.”

She grimaced, shivering at the thought. “I wouldn’t know. I can’t say I have much experience with the subject.”

“Have you never been swimming in the fall or spring before the water is quite warm enough?”

“I can’t say I have ever been swimming at all.”

“Why ever not?”

“I don’t believe I have ever had the opportunity.”

“Truly?”

“Truly.” Amber rolled her eyes. “I don’t believe most ladies have. Has Felicity?”

“Of course. My father and I taught her when she was six years old.” He smiled fondly at the memory. “She was not a natural.”

“No? Really? I have to say, that surprises me a bit. It seems like something she would excel at.”

“Not in the slightest. In fact, she never finished learning. She gave up after only a few weeks.”

Amber laughed, some of the tension leaving her body, at least for the moment. “That part doesn’t surprise me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I offered to help her with her embroidery. She told me that she lacked the patience and gave up. I imagine it must be hard for her to pick up new skills.”

“Don’t let her fool you. She is quick as a whip when she wants to be. Her attention is just… selective. You should see her when she senses someone has a secret she wants to sniff out. She’s like a prized truffle pig.”

“That’s so rude! You shouldn’t talk about your sister like that!”

“Why what’s wrong?”

“You compared your sister to a pig. That’s insulting.”

“Why? Pigs are incredibly intelligent and rather cute. If anything, it should be a compliment.”

“Would she take it as one if she heard you say it?”

He crossed his arms. “I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

“Sounds like I have my answer.”

He scowled. “We’re getting distracted. We can’t afford to hide out here all day.”

“I know,” she took a deep breath. “I know. So what do we do now?”

“You already know. We have the basics of a plan already. All that we need to do is pull the trigger.”

She chewed her lip before nodding. “All right. All right. I know you are right. There’s no sense in putting it off. We should just get it over with. When do you want to do it?”

“Tomorrow.”

“So soon!?”

“I thought you just agreed that we should do it sooner rather than later?”

“I did, but I didn’t realize you meant that soon.”

“If you aren’t ready?—”

“I didn’t say that! I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I am. So, we have the when, what about the how?”

“We don’t want to go too over the top if we don’t have to. Let’s start with something simple. Perhaps we can go out to the gardens and find a quiet little spot.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think that will work. They aren’t planning any garden excursions until later in the week, so we would have to try and time it for when a small group decides to go on a walk, and they rarely take more than a few minutes to make those kinds of plans.”

“That isn’t the end of the world; we could always try and rush out as soon as we hear them talking about it.”

“I don’t know if that would work. We would have to rush. It would make our performance messy.”

“All right, give me a minute.”

Amber thought about making a remark, telling her they didn’t have all the time in the world to plan, but she held it in. In the end, it didn’t take him more than a few seconds to speak.

“If we can’t be sure they would come to us outside, the best thing we can do is to just pick a room that’s secluded, but make sure someone is planning on heading that way or that it has consistent traffic. Maybe a library or an art hall,” he nodded to himself. “It should be easy enough.”

Amber thought for a moment then nodded as well, rubbing at the back of her neck. She could feel her back stiffening at the thought of going through with it, but she knew he was right. The sooner they got it over with, the better. She let out a long breath. “That isn’t a bad idea. It could work.”

“High praise coming from you.”

The tension was forgotten about when she heard him. Crossing her arms, she scowled at him. “Oh, stop it!”

“Did I say anything untrue? I do believe that might be the first complement you have given me.”

“You can expect it to be the last.”

“I would expect nothing less from you.”

She took a calming breath. “All right, I will agree to your plan. Did you have a room in mind?”

“A few, but I don’t think we should narrow it down too much too fast.”

“I suppose that makes sense. Just let me know when you figure out what room would work best.”

He smiled, and something in Amber softened. “Don’t worry. I should think I am more than capable of handling that.”

She swallowed, pushing the warm feeling in her chest down. She didn’t have time for that. Not now. Not ever. “I should hope so. Otherwise, what are we doing here?”

“If you aren’t content with my help, you are more than welcome to try and find another accomplice.” He turned as if to walk away, but Amber called out to him.

Panic flooded her. She knew he was probably bluffing, but she couldn’t risk that. Heart in her throat, she called out to him.

“Wait!”

He paused, turning to her, one eyebrow raised as he waited for her to continue.

“We’ve already shown we can work so well together. Why mess with a good thing?”

He smiled at her, something soft that Amber couldn’t quite place on his face. “You know I wasn’t going to walk away, right?”

“What?”

“I told you I was going to help. I am a man of my word. I will follow through. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“Thank you.” Amber found herself softening, even more. She hated the way she felt like he was seeing her vulnerable underbelly. She needed to do something to build her walls back up. Unsure what else to do, she pivoted to humor. “Besides, if I’m honest, you were the best I could find.”

He snorted, easily allowing the change in tone without missing a beat. “I suppose that is not surprising. I have seen the guest list after all.”

“And again,” she shook her head, “I find myself wondering why you were on it. You don’t seem to like anyone here. Beyond that, you don’t seem like you even know half the people here.”

She expected him to give another non-answer, and in a sense, he did. “You’d have to ask Felicity that.”

Amber blinked in surprise. “And why is that?”

“She was the one who was invited. My name wasn’t even on the invitation.”

“Goodness! I can’t believe they would be so rude!”

“I can. It is hardly the first time something like this has happened. It tends to happen given how much more social she is than I am.”

“That isn’t saying much.”

“No, I suppose not.”

“Do you always come to parties or balls with her when she gets invited without you? I mean, it’s understandable if you do. I can understand how it would be improper if she went alone.”

“Balls, yes it would be most improper for her to go alone, but I don’t always go with her to smaller gatherings.”

“Then what made you decide to come with her this time?”

He hesitated. “I don’t know how to say this without coming across as rude.”

“Why are you worried about that now? You haven’t seemed to be concerned with it at any point leading up to this.”

He snorted. “I suppose I can understand why that feels true.”

“Exactly, so why don’t you just tell me.”

He sighed. “Very well. You’re right. Normally I wouldn’t come to something like this. It’s a small enough gathering that Felicity would be fine on her own, but I know very few people who were invited. More than that, the few I did know, I simply didn’t trust. I just came to make sure she was safe.”

Amber knew she should be offended, but her mind flashed to Simon, and something in her softened. “You’re a good brother.”

He rolled his eyes. “Laying it on thick, aren’t you? There’s no need.”

“I’m not. I mean it. I wish I had someone like that in my corner.”

Christopher studied her for a moment then smiled. “If you mean that?—”

“Of course, I mean it.”

“Then, thank you. I will try my best. Someone needs to look out for her.”

“That’s right, your father passed away too. I’m sorry for your loss.”

She suppressed a wince as soon as her words hit her ears. Why would she say something like that? Why did she bring it up?

“It was a while ago.” He turned away before she could say anything else. “We should get back to the others before they notice we’re gone.”

“You’re right,” she agreed, even if she did still feel rather conflicted.

On the one hand, she was glad for the easy way to sidestep her foolish statement. She could only hope he would not hold it against her. On the other hand, the idea of going back out there made her skin crawl.

She knew Thomas would be waiting for her. Simon would be on her in an instant, dragging her to that man’s side. She knew that she would be lucky to escape him after dinner at the earliest!

And that wasn’t even to mention Simon!

She didn’t want to think of the state he would be in if he was looking for her and couldn’t find her.

She wouldn’t be surprised if he searched the whole place to find her just because Thomas asked where she was.

“We shouldn’t be seen going back together,” Christopher said, snapping her from her thoughts.

“Of course. That makes sense. How do you want to do this?”

“You go back first. I will follow behind you shortly.”

“Oh! Are you sure? I don’t mind lingering if you want to go back first.”

He shook his head. “It would be easier if you went back first.”

She wanted to argue, to come up with anything she could say to argue. Anything to buy her a few more seconds away from the others, but she couldn’t think of a single thing. “I suppose if you think that would be best.”

He gave her a curt nod then slipped from the room.

Amber paced the room long after he left. She knew she should go back and join the others. If she was found on her own, there would be questions.

More than questions. It would be seen as suspicious. If she were found off by herself, she would be even more closely monitored than she already was.

Sighing, she forced herself from the room. Every step down the hall felt like a monumental chore. She could hardly make herself keep going.

Sure enough, the second she was back, Simon all but ran over to her. “You have been neglecting our guests,” he gritted out.

She frowned, taking a step away from him. She crossed her arms to put some kind of wall between them. “I didn’t realize we had any, seeing as we are guests.”

His gaze hardened. “We both know you know who I’m talking about.”

She looked away. “I don’t. We’re both just guests here. I don’t have any responsibilities to worry about.”

“Amber, don’t play the fool. It doesn’t suit you,” he stormed. “Now, Thomas is waiting for you on the sofa in the main parlor. I expect you to go to him.”

“But I don’t want to.”

“Amber, this isn’t up for discussion. Do you realize how rude you are being? You aren’t even out, and yet Thomas is kind enough to express an interest in you. The least you can do is be pleasant with him.”

“I am. I just don’t want to talk to him for longer than I need to.”

“Amber, he’s waiting for you. Go.”

She clenched her hands into fists. “But?—”

“Did you hear me?” he warned, eyes flashing something dangerous.

She backed down, heart sinking like a led weight. “Yes, I’m going.”

“Good girl. I expect you to be on your best behavior.”

Amber bit her tongue. She knew better than to push him now. She had her plan. The best thing she could do was play along until it was time.

She could do this, she told herself as she made her way over to where Thomas was sitting on a sofa, arms spread wide along the back. He looked over the room like he owned the place, rather than simply being a guest. When he saw her, a snake-like grin spread across his face.

For a moment, she faltered in her steps; glancing back, she could see Simon was still staring at her, an expectant look on his face.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to close the distance. The closer she got, the more smug Thomas looked. By the time she was standing in front of him, he looked like a cat with a well cornered mouse.

His eyes raked over her body, making her feel like her skin was not her own. She resisted the urge to shift under her gaze. “Amber,” he purred, “how good to see you again. I was starting to wonder where you had run off to.”

She stiffened, blood rushing in her ears. “Lord Gillion, I didn’t realize we were on a first name basis.”

“Don’t be silly! Of course, we are! After all, even if the two of us might not know each other well yet, it is only a matter of time before we do.”

Her skin crawled at the look on his face. “Is it?”

“Of course! I don’t think it’s any secret that I have taken a special interest in you and your future.”

She nodded, unable to bring herself to look at him.

“There’s no reason to stand on ceremony. Come here, and sit beside me.”

She hesitated, but he patted the spot behind her leaving very little room for questions or concerns.

Sitting stiffly beside him, Amber tried not to mind the way that his arm still rested along the back of the sofa. His hand was inches from her shoulder, waiting to swoop in and touch her like a hawk carries off a rabbit.

“It’s so good to finally see your sweet face,” he sighed.

“You flatter me.”

“I’m not in the habit of giving undeserved flattery. If I say something to you, you can be sure I mean it. What do you think?”

“What do I think of what?”

“Me, of course.”

She avoided looking at him, heart pounding in her chest. What could she say? She couldn’t tell the truth, that was for sure. “I’m not sure what to say to that.”

“You could start with the truth.”

“Give me more time. You can ask me again before we leave.”

He chuckled. “So worried about saying the right thing. It’s sweet how much you want to make me happy.”

Amber forced herself to hold her tongue.

“I’ve been waiting for you, you know,” he said.

“Have you?” she hoped her voice didn’t feel as shaky as it felt.

“Of course!”

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

“I won’t lie, I was waiting for quite some time. Where were you?”

Amber chewed her lip. She knew she would have to play this carefully. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were waiting for me, or I would have come sooner.”

“Did Simon not make my intentions clear?”

“I assumed he had to be mistaken.”

“Really? And why is that?”

“Forgive me, I simply have a hard time believing you would want to pursue someone like me,” she said, and it wasn’t quite a lie.

Her flattery made him soften. “I do hope now, you know better. Still, this had better not happen again.”

“Of course not, Vis?—”

“Thomas, please.”

“Of course not, Thomas.”

He nodded. “Very good. If I am honest, I was starting to wonder if you were avoiding me, but you wouldn’t do that, would you?” His words came out in a soft facsimile of kindness, but the look in his eyes left no doubt of the steel behind his words.

She shook her head. She needed to make him happy. If Simon thought she was still resisting, then he would only push harder. “Of course not. I would never want to offend you like that.”

“Good to hear. After all, I don’t think I need to tell you about my relationship with your cousin, do I?”

“I- I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh, I think you do. You’re a smart girl. Don’t play the fool.”

Amber clenched her fists. “I’m not. My cousin, he prefers to keep me sheltered from his business. I know better than to pry.”

That made him grin. “Is that right? A woman who knows her place. I feel like that’s a rarity to find nowadays. I’m glad to see he taught you well.”

Amber had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her boiling rage inside. “Thank you, I’m glad you think so.”

“How could I not? This is part of why I didn’t want to court someone who was properly out. There’s nothing to gain for you from dancing and balls.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not like it’s something you are going to have time for once you are married. You’ll be too busy with the children.”

“Children? But surely something like that takes time.”

He waved a dismissive hand. “Of course, but sooner is better than later after all, and once you have your first, who knows how many you’ll have after that. I doubt you will have time for much else.”

“What?”

“Oh, don’t look so worried. I’m sure you will be so busy, you won’t have time to think about anything but them. Well, them and your loving husband, of course.”

“Of course.”

“Oh, no need to be so shy. I know it must be a lot to think about, but I’m sure you will adjust just fine. Tell me, have you been having a good time here?”

“Of course. It’s the first chance I’ve had to come to one of these in over a month.”

He patted her hand. “I’m glad to hear it, darling. While we have the chance, why don’t I tell you a little about me?”

“Of course. I would love to hear all about whatever you want to talk about.”

“I’m glad you asked. Have I had a chance to tell you about my last hunting trip?”

She winced. “You haven’t.”

“Do you care for hunting?”

“Well, I’m afraid I’m not very familiar with it.”

“No need to worry. I can explain it all to you. You’ll be able to understand all about it before I go on my next one, possibly by the time we’re done with this conversation.”

Amber could only pray that the end would come swiftly.

Of course, it didn’t. Time passed. Thomas talked and talked and talked for what felt like hours. First about his hunting, despite Amber’s discomfort, then seemingly whatever he could think of.

The only saving grace was that as long as he was talking about himself, she wouldn’t be expected to say much. She could just sit there and let herself glaze over as he went on and on about himself.

He bragged about the size of his estate, all the things he could buy her, the amount of money he brought in each month, and anything else he thought would impress her.

Little did he know, none of it did.

If anything it had the opposite effect. It made him seem pompous and self-important.

After only a few short minutes, all Amber could think about was how best to make her escape.

Not just from this whole unfortunate arrangement, but also this specific conversation she was trapped in. She scanned the crowd, desperate for someone who could give her an excuse.

Her eyes met Mary’s from across the room and hope leapt in her heart. If anyone could understand Amber’s situation, it was her. The pair had spoken a bit about how Mary’s own marriage was less than wanted at the time.

She was just lucky things had worked out well, and the pair had grown to care about one another.

Amber knew that if she got stuck in a similar arrangement with Thomas, she would have no such luck, only an ever-growing resentment.

Mary shook her head before turning back to her conversation.

Amber bit back tears. The one person she thought would have her back had turned away from her. It seemed like she was truly on her own.

Amber felt hopeless. She couldn’t do anything but sit there and listen as he droned on and on.

If she didn’t do something soon, this would be her life.

No matter what the cost, she couldn’t let that happen.

After what felt like an eternity, finally, the perfect moment for her escape came. He turned to her with a generous smile on his face.

“I don’t know about you, but all of this conversation is making me quite thirsty.”

“Is it?” she tried not to let herself hope too much too fast.

“Indeed. I think I’m going to go find something to drink. I will get you a cup of tea while I’m gone.”

“How kind of you.”

“Oh, my darling,” he leaned in, “I think you’ll find I can be quite kind if you keep me happy. It isn’t hard. I’m sure you’ll learn quick enough.”

Amber thought she was going to be sick.

He grinned. “Don’t go anywhere while I’m gone.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

He turned to go, shooting her one last glance over his shoulder before he disappeared into the crowd.

The second he was gone, Amber let out a sigh of relief. Once she was sure he was out of sight, she got to her feet and made her way to the lady’s parlor, the one place she wouldn’t have to worry about him or Simon finding her.

When she came inside, she was surprised to hear a voice call out to her.

“Amber! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

She turned to see Felicity waving for her to join a small group of other ladies clustered around a small table doing some needle work. It still amazed Amber just how at home Felicity managed to make herself.

“You have?” Amber was surprised to find herself smiling as she made her way over to them.

“Of course! I wanted to introduce you to my new friends.”

Amber nodded politely as Felicity went around introducing her to what seemed like an endless number of people.

“Nice to meet you all,” Amber said, hoping it didn’t come out as awkward as she felt. After a few seconds, she turned to Felicity. “How was your walk?”

“It was lovely! Thank you for asking.”

“What walk? We barely even poked our heads outside. She got cold after less than five minutes and made us come inside,” one of her companions teased.

Felicity pouted. “There’s no reason for you to bully me like this! You can’t pretend I was the only one who was cold. You wanted to come inside too. I know you did.”

“If I did, then why did I try and convince you to stay outside for a little while longer?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Because you wanted me to suffer!”

“Well, we all have to have hobbies,” Amber shrugged.

Felicity huffed. “What would my brother say if he knew how cruel you were being to me?”

She froze.

Felicity saw her face and softened. “I was only pulling your leg. Besides, he would tease me even more mercilessly.”

Amber leaned in closer. “Then we should team up. There’s strength in numbers after all.”

“You don’t need to worry about him,” Felicity assured her. “He only mocks people he likes. You should take it as a complement.”

“Funny. It doesn’t feel like one.”

“He never has been good about showing how he feels,” she sighed. “Please try and cut him some slack.”

“I am. I only wish he would do the same.”

“Do you want me to talk to him? I can tell him to stop. Maybe let him know he’s taking things a little too far.”

Amber thought for a minute. Christopher could be a bit much sometimes. It would be peaceful to be able to have a conversation without him toying with her.

And yet…

There was something sad about thinking he might stop or even just back off.

After a moment, Amber shook her head. “You don’t need to worry about me. I can give back as good as he can give.”

Felicity lit up at her answer. “That’s honestly great to hear.”

Amber frowned. Something in her twisted at Felicity’s open, honest, face. She couldn’t handle this. She needed to change the subject.

“Are you working on your needle work?”

Felicity nodded. “I wanted to try doing it while I talked to someone since you said it can make it easier to focus.”

“Can I see what you’ve got so far?”

“Of course! After seeing your work, I am more than willing to try anything you are able to suggest.” Then she turned to the other women they were sitting with. “Oh, the rest of you simply must see her work later! I’ve never seen anything like it before. It is truly amazing!”

“You’re overselling it. It’s just a hobby,” Amber flushed.

“Regardless of what you call it, you’re very skilled. You should give yourself more credit. You have more than earned it.”

Amber couldn’t help but smile. “Why don’t you just show me what you have so far, and we can go from there?”

Felicity eagerly handed over her sampler.

Amber had to resist the urge to wince. Felicity had warned her she struggled, but Amber hadn’t been expecting just how bad.

Her stitches were uneven, and there were visible patches of the fabric in areas that she clearly had moved on from. If Amber was honest, she wasn’t even entirely sure what exactly it was supposed to be.

“So?” Felicity asked, an eager look on her face. “What do you think?”

Amber hesitated. “I can see you must be trying.”

“You can just tell me what you really think. I won’t be offended. I promise.”

“Well…” Amber trailed off, trying to think of something nice to say. “It isn’t bad. It just needs a little more work.”

“Still? But I feel like I’ve been working on it forever!”

“And you have made tremendous progress. Like right here these leaves.”

“Those aren’t leaves.”

For a moment, Amber froze. “What?”

“They aren’t leaves.”

“But then what are they?”

“Wings. I was going to make a bird like you did.”

“I see.” Amber studied it more with this new information. “Where is its body?”

She shrugged. “I haven’t gotten that far yet.”

“You haven’t gotten that far?”

She nodded.

“You didn’t do any kind of outline work?”

She shook her head. “No, why? Should I?”

“Yes, It’s how you know where to work. Can I ask why you didn’t?”

“That’s easy. It’s because I tend to change my mind about what I’m making, and that’s a lot harder to do if there’s an outline.”

“I see, and how often do you do that?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her make what she originally said she was going to make,” another girl chimed in.

“Well, that’s problem number one.”

“Really?” she whined.

“Really. Especially when you first start, it’s hard to get a result you’re going to be happy with without an outline of some kind.”

She huffed. “All right, I guess I’ll remember that.”

There were a few chuckles from the rest of the circle.

“You said you thought they were leaves. What about them?”

“What?”

“You were going to give me some advice when you thought they were leaves. What was it going to be?”

“But they aren’t leaves,” Amber blinked.

“No, but if they were, what were you going to tell me?”

“Well, it looks like you’ve moved on from them.”

“I have. They’re done.”

“But they aren’t. See how patchy they are here? You need to layer more over this. Perhaps with a lighter green thread. It would give it a little dimension. May I?”

“Please.”

Amber took up the needle. She showed her how to layer the threads to bring the leaves to life. The others watched in awe.

“There,” she said handing it back to Felicity. “Now you try on the one next to it. It should be easier now that you have a model to work from.”

Felicity looked on in awe.

“You’re incredible!” one of the others said.

“You’re exaggerating,” Amber waved off the praise. “It really isn’t anything that special, but I’m glad you like it.”

“How could I not!” Felicity lit up. “It’s so beautiful, it looks like it belongs in a vase rather than on fabric.”

“You’re being too generous. I’ll have to make you something else when I have more time.”

“You’d make me something?”

She nodded. “I’d like to.”

“That’s so kind of you! Thank you! What are you going to make me?”

“How does a reticule sound?”

“But that’s going to be so much work for you! When you offered to make me something, I assumed it was going to be something small, like a handkerchief or something.”

“I can do that if you prefer.”

“I can assure you, I will be happy with whatever you chose to make me.”

“You’re so sweet. As long as you like it, I’m happy.”

Felicity worked for a few minutes before she said, “The only downside to having you work on this is that anything more I do here will look so shabby in comparison.”

“That isn’t true. You just need to be a little more patient.”

“I am trying.”

“I don’t doubt that, but look, you can see where you got impatient and moved on before you were truly finished.”

“True, but how can I resist?”

“If the issue is you get bored in particular area, then grab a second needle and work somewhere else. You just need to make sure you circle back to where you were working before.”

“But that sounds so boring,” she groaned.

“I’m hardly holding a blade to your neck and forcing you to do needle work. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. Work on something else.”

“But I want to make things like you do. Your work is so beautiful.”

“Then learn patience.”

Felicity complained, “I’m doing my best.”

“Are you?”

The group had a pleasant afternoon until the whole party gathered in the dining hall for lunch.